Real Weddings, Advice, & Inspiration

Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!

Pagan hanging wreath with blue and red ribbon in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Two plate settings on wooden blocks over a fur pelt in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Blue wedding cake with crystals in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Ritual altar with flowers wine and candles in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Red and green garland wrapping a tree in the woods in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Two moss chairs with red pelts and flowers in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Wedding rings displayed on a crystal by the wedding cake in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Wooded area decorated for pagan ritual vow renewal in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Wooded area decorated with fur and ritual objects for elopement in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Table with wine candles cake and ritual objects like crystals in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Spouses preparing for pagan elopement by a trailer in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Future spouse in green with woodland bouquet in the woods in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Eloping LGBTQ couple looking up into the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

LGBTQ couple getting married with hand fasting ritual in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Queer couple marrying under large handmade wreath in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Newlywed LGBTQ couple kissing under large wreath in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Married couple posing under pagan wreath in the woods in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Celtic styled LGBTQ couple eloping in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Happy wedding couple holding hands at pagan alter in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Blue wedding cake missing one slice in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Newlywed spouses feeding each other cake in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Close up of newlyweds floral head band in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Newlywed holding a unique woodland bridal bouquet in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Unique woodland boutonniere on newlyweds black shirt in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Close up of newlywed wearing kilt and sporran in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Close up of green and floral garland decorating a tree in Chimacum WA MJ photography

LGBTQ newlywed couple leaning together by a lake in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Celtic styled newlyweds embracing and smiling by a lake in Chimacum WA MJ photography

Married lgbtq couple posing with bouquet in the woods of Chimacum WA MJ photography

Words by Lexi Koch of Lexi Mara. Photos by MJ Photography.

As a group of vendors, we aim to feature love in all of its many forms and include those that are often not featured in major publications. These two brides were the perfect fit because they weren’t able to have the wedding of their dreams due to the financial burden of it, so gifting them this intimate vow renewal styled shoot allowed them to articulate all of their dreams and then we got to bring those dreams to life!

The grove of trees that we chose was utterly perfect. The trees were in a small circle and the brides had an intimate space to celebrate and renew their vows. We then decorated the ring of trees to feel like an actual little room in the woods. From a wall of lights to a massive tree garland, all of the elements were meant to celebrate nature and the brides’ deep connection to nature and to reflect how nature has helped them thrive in their relationship. We included many Pagan elements to help the brides feel seen, loved, and held by their beliefs.

The couple in this shoot expressed to us that when they were planning their actual wedding, they had a very hard time finding people that looked like them and felt like them on blogs and in magazines. We aim to help change that from here forth!